2018-02-18 Philippians 1:1 Greetings (1): Slaves and Saints

GREETINGS (1): SLAVES AND SAINTS (Philippians 1:1) February 18, 2018 Read Phil 1:1 – A celebrity, late for his plane rushed to the front of the ticket line only to be told he’d have to go to the back. Loudly accusing the agent of gross inefficiency he asked, “Do you know who I am?” The agent turned to her partner: “This gentleman needs our help. He doesn’t know who he is!” That could describe many Xns. We often live defeated lives because we don’t know who we are in Christ. We’re still living as who we were before Christ. Paul wants us to know who they are in Christ – then live like that. In this intro shows 2 aspects of our identity. We’d say, “Dear John,” and sign our name at the end. But the ancients first introduced themselves, then the recipients, then a common greeting. Simple – but in this case a lot of profound info regarding two aspects of our identity in Christ – slaves and saints. I. Slaves Two men are sending greetings in this letter – Paul and Timothy. They are not co-authors. Paul’s the author. In v. 3 Paul writes, “I thank my God” – not “We thank our God.” Further, he speaks of Timothy in the 3rd person in 2:19-23 where he speaks of hoping to send Timothy to them. Paul writes; both greet. So, who is Timothy? He was a native of Lystra in Lycaonia (modern Turkey). His father was Greek, not a believer (Acts 16:1). But his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois (II Tim 1:5), were devout Jews and raised Timothy on the OT. But Timothy was never circumcised, probably due to Dad’s resistance. Tim’s family became NT believers when Paul and Barnabas came to Lystra on their 1st journey (Acts 14:8-20). Two years later, on his 2nd journey Paul found Acts 16:2 He [Timothy] was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.” Timothy was about 21 at this time, but he became part of the team – sometimes with Paul – sometimes surrogate. Paul loved him like a son. He’s listed in greetings in 6 of Paul’s epistles. So why circumcision? Paul knew circumcision made no difference in his status in God’s sight. Paul never had the Gentile Titus circumcised (Gal 2:3). But Timothy was a Jew. Lack of circumcision might have hindered their ministry in synagogues. Circumcision removed the barrier. So Timothy joined 1 the team on Paul’s 2nd journey which eventually took them to Philippi – first place Paul went in Europe. When Paul and Silas were exiled (see Acts 16), Timothy stayed on for a time; so he was well-known and loved in Philippi. Now, note: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.” Paul does not call himself an “apostle” as in most (8) of his letters. Why? Bc Paul had no need to establish his apostolic authority in Philippi. The love between Paul and the church had withstood the test of time. They had a deep bond of affection. So instead of “apostle”, Paul refers to himself and Timothy as servants. But the word is “slave”. “Servant” came into vogue with the KJV translation when slavery carried harsh implications that translators felt carried the wrong connotation. In some ways they were right, but a slave is a slave. These men were slaves to God’s will. But to them it was the highest of callings. Outside of Christ, we are all slaves to something. Jn 8:34, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” A slave’s existence is defined by someone else’s will. He can do only what his master allows. So Jesus’ point is simple. “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” We think we can take it or leave it. We think we choose whether to sin or not. Jesus’ teaches just the opposite. Outside of Him, we have a master named Sin. Sam theme: Rom 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. . . . 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul was ecstatic to be a slave of Christ; the alternative was to be a slave to sin. Free agency is just an illusion. As a human being, we can choose our master, but we can never be our own master. Paul knew true freedom comes from being a slave to Christ. It’s not duty – it’s love! In the OT, a Hebrew slave could go free after 7 years. But listen to this: Exod 21: 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his 2 ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.” Why would the slave choose to stay? Because he loved his master. Paul loved his master. He loved his identity in Christ! Phil 1:13 “my imprisonment is for Christ.” He wrote in Eph 4:1: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord.” A prisoner of Rome? They didn’t have a prison big enough!! The civil rulers in Philippi beat Paul and Silas and put them in jail. But they couldn’t defeat them! Acts 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” They’d never seen anything like that. You can’t defeat a prisoner of Christ. They’re free – even when in jail. In ancient times slaves shared in the prestige and social standing of their owners, often including their names on their tombstones. Dale Martin explains: “Often a slave mentioned the senatorial rank of their owner or gave the master’s title. Agathopous, a slave agent, neglected to give the names of his wife and children, but he was careful to give the Roman name of his master.” Martin concludes there was no greater privilege than to be the slave of Caesar: "The unique status of the Emperor gave his slaves and freedmen a privileged position – they were allowed to marry citizen-women, and their status was such people enrolled in this household voluntarily.” In Paul’s case, he knew he was serving someone infinitely greater than Caesar. He was serving a Master who used Caesar as a slave – getting him to issue a tax edict that resulted in Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. He was serving the One who is King of kings and Lord of Lords. You know, God is many things to us – my personal favorite is Father. But to be His slave is no less a privilege. And what Paul was expressing of himself is true of every believer – a beloved slave to the infinitely holy will of God. Do you know yourself in that way? II. Saints “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.” The saints. So Paul is writing only to the spiritual elite in Philippi? No. All believers are saints. Clearly implied and clear from the next phrase – “with the overseers and deacons.” If anyone would be spiritually elite, it would be these, but they are addressed as part of the rest of the saints. Confusion about sainthood arose beginning in the 3rd or 4th century when local bishops began to call martyrs, saints. Eventually in the RC and Anglican churches this developed into a full-blown process of canonization by which certain people were assigned saint status – like Mother Theresa recently. All 3 of this assumes that sainthood results from the personal holiness of the person involved. It’s not! It’s a matter of relationship! God Himself bestows sainthood on every believer the moment they place their faith in Christ. We first see this in Acts 9:13 after Paul is blinded on the road to Damascus. God sends Ananias to heal Paul, and Ananias says “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.” Paul’s reputation preceded him. He’d been killing and persecuting Xns – the “saints” at Jerusalem –not a selective lot, but all of them. Paul picks up that pattern and addresses all believers as saints in all his letters, including the Corinthians where sin was rampant. Yet they were saints. How could that be? It could be because sainthood does not depend on the personal holiness of the individual. It depends on the individual being “in Christ” who is perfect in His holiness. It is not my holiness that makes me a saint; it is the holiness of Jesus. Look at the phrase again. “To all the saints in Christ Jesus.” I’m not a saint “in myself”; I’m a saint “in Christ.” Thankful for that! I’d never make sainthood on my own, nor would you. But I’m covered with His righteousness. II Cor 5:18: “He made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” “Saint” is from the same root used for “holy” and “sanctified” in the NT. The root meaning is separated, set apart. Believers have been set apart from the rest of humanity not because they are good, but because Christ is good, and they are “in Christ.” I Pet 2: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” That’s your identity; that’s who you are in Christ. Now Paul is going to say – So live like it! This is special. No other faith has this. A Mormon is not “in Joseph Smith.” Muslims are not “in Muhammad.” A Buddhist is not “in Buddha”, but a Xn is “in Christ.” God sees in us not our failures, but the perfect holiness of Christ. Get your arms around that and it will change your life. Suddenly living up to the family name is not a burden or a duty; it’s the greatest privilege of your life. I don’t live right to become “in Him.” I live right because I already am “in Him.” That’s a saint. And as J. Vernon McGee used to say, “There are only two kinds of people today: the saints and the ain’ts. If you are a saint, then you are not an ain’t. If you ain’t an ain’t, then you are a saint.” So, who are the saints in Philippi? We know of at least 3. First -- Lydia. Paul usually preached in the synagogue first at a new place. Philippi didn’t have a synagogue, so Paul varied his method. Acts 16:13: “And on the Sabbath day 4 we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.” The first convert in Europe – Lydia. Lydia was a Gentile by name and location. “Seller of purple” identifies her as a businesswoman in a rare industry. Purple was a coveted color – the color of royalty, because it took a dye of highest quality extracted from a murex (type of snail) shell. An ancient inscription indicates a guild of purple sellers in Philippi which probably explains her relocation from Thyatira. Business was good. She had a home large enough to accommodate numerous guests (Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke at least) and to later host the house church in Philippi. A 2nd saint in Philippi was very different. Acts 16:16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.” So we have a wealthy business woman and a slave girl – new saints! The slave girl led to another. Her owners were furious to lose their source of income from her fortune-telling abilities. They got Paul and Silas arrested, beaten and jailed, and you know the rest. An earthquake came while they were singing at midnight, freeing the prisoners. The jailer was about to kill himself knowing he was doomed for losing his prisoners. But Paul called to him that all were still there, so Acts 16:30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” So the saints at Philippi include – Lydia, the slave-girl, the jailer and their families. 5 What do you notice about them? They are all Gentiles, coming from totally different socio-economic and family backgrounds. Very different pasts – but now the exact same future – and a present in which they are all saints. Isn’t the gospel wonderful, Beloved? It is for everybody and for all time. A little 9year-old girl was away at camp. She sent two letters home – one for Mom and one for Dad. Mom’s note was short but sweet: “Dear Mom, I am having a lot of fun at camp. Tell Charlie (the cat) I miss him. I miss you, too. Love, Kimberly. The one to Dad was even shorter: “Dear Dad, Read Mom’s note. Love Kimberly.” When I saw that I thought – Wow. That’s like the gospel. Same message for everyone – regardless of ethnic background, economic or educational status, ambition, location, position or place in life. All are welcome. Slaves and rich people alike. The very good and the very bad alike. No one too good not to need Jesus; no one too bad that He won’t take them. Conc – So do you know who you are in Christ? Are you living like who you are or who you were? Henry Fonda was interviewed by Larry King one night. Asked his favorite role, he replied it was playing Mr. Roberts on Broadway – because the character was nothing like his real life. His image was squeaky clean, but in reality he said he was an alcoholic and roustabout who could not love his own wife or family. He could never live up to the image except as Mr. Roberts. He said, “There were times when it would be 3:00 in the afternoon and I would think, ‘Gee, I wish it was 8:00 so I could be Mr. Roberts again.’” That’s pretty sad. But often that is us, too. The solution for us is to know who we already are -- in Christ. You don’t have to wait for 8:00 tonight. You don’t have to wait for heaven. You’re a saint right now, in Him. So live like it. Let’s pray. 6